Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has launched a scathing attack on the current international football schedule in light of the injury picked up Fernando Torres.
The striker, 23, tore his hamstring while representing Spain in a friendly international with France in Marbella on Wednesday night and is now likely to be out action for up to 10 days, so missing the Merseysiders' crucial Premier League trip to Stamford Bridge on Sunday and also making him a serious doubt for the first leg of their Champions League tie with Internazionale at Anfield on Feb 19.
Meanwhile, Javier Mascherano will only return from featuring for Argentina's Olympic side in a friendly with Guatemala that was played in Los Angeles at some point today, leaving Benitez little time in which to prepare his misfiring team to face Chelsea.
And, like Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger yesterday, the Spaniard has laid the blame squarely at the door of the respective international football federations for organising such friendlies at such a vital time of the season for domestic clubs.
"We should not have international friendlies this week. We have lost Torres and Mascherano is not due back until Friday after playing for Argentina in Los Angeles. It is a busy period for the clubs, so it is not fair," he said.
"It doesn't matter if the national associations pay money if you have a player injured. We have three important games in three different competitions in 10 days, and we have lost Torres and maybe other players. It's not fair on the clubs. I don't just mean Liverpool, I mean everyone, especially the top teams."
In reference to Argentina's match on Wednesday, Benitez was scathing, asking: "Why do they have to play in Los Angeles? Just money. Javier will fly back to Manchester and will arrive here on Friday. With the change of continents and the danger of jet lag, I will have to wait and see if I can use him against Chelsea."
Benitez's frustrations are understandable, especially given the fact he has already lost Torres to an injury picked up while on international duty once before this season, while yesterday's news that the Premier League are planning an extra round of fixtures in foreign destinations from the start of the 2010-2011 season will hardly have brought a smile to his face either.
The striker, 23, tore his hamstring while representing Spain in a friendly international with France in Marbella on Wednesday night and is now likely to be out action for up to 10 days, so missing the Merseysiders' crucial Premier League trip to Stamford Bridge on Sunday and also making him a serious doubt for the first leg of their Champions League tie with Internazionale at Anfield on Feb 19.
Meanwhile, Javier Mascherano will only return from featuring for Argentina's Olympic side in a friendly with Guatemala that was played in Los Angeles at some point today, leaving Benitez little time in which to prepare his misfiring team to face Chelsea.
And, like Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger yesterday, the Spaniard has laid the blame squarely at the door of the respective international football federations for organising such friendlies at such a vital time of the season for domestic clubs.
"We should not have international friendlies this week. We have lost Torres and Mascherano is not due back until Friday after playing for Argentina in Los Angeles. It is a busy period for the clubs, so it is not fair," he said.
"It doesn't matter if the national associations pay money if you have a player injured. We have three important games in three different competitions in 10 days, and we have lost Torres and maybe other players. It's not fair on the clubs. I don't just mean Liverpool, I mean everyone, especially the top teams."
In reference to Argentina's match on Wednesday, Benitez was scathing, asking: "Why do they have to play in Los Angeles? Just money. Javier will fly back to Manchester and will arrive here on Friday. With the change of continents and the danger of jet lag, I will have to wait and see if I can use him against Chelsea."
Benitez's frustrations are understandable, especially given the fact he has already lost Torres to an injury picked up while on international duty once before this season, while yesterday's news that the Premier League are planning an extra round of fixtures in foreign destinations from the start of the 2010-2011 season will hardly have brought a smile to his face either.
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